Alexandra
Bjornnes

Current Company:

Oaks Properties, LLC

Title:

Director

Education (SMU specific):

BBA - Finance; MBA - Real Estate, Finance

Career Background:

2014 - 2018: NorthMarq Capital - 4.5 years - substantial experience in debt and equity placement on all property types, but predominantly multifamily. 2018 - 2020: Full-time MBA program at SMU; Real Estate and Finance, President of the Real Estate Club, First class of the Practicum. 2020 - Current: Oaks Properties, LLC. Multifamily Market rate apartments. Our family business, I am the second generation. We own, manage and develop apartment homes in MN, MO and TX. Our current portfolio is 2,548 units.

What am I doing – describe your current role and objectives:

I am the Director of Asset Management within Oaks Properties. Loosely, I fill a lot of different shoes depending on the market cycle. I work on our acquisitions and dispositions when we are active. Generally, we love to purchase or develop a deal per year. I handle any financing and refinancing, and asset management-related items. We are a family-owned business with just a small handful of long-term partners, so we are slow-growing but stable. I handle all insurance-related items, as well as our capex program for all three markets. Design and rehab items flow through me. Additionally, I manage our business development relationships with the brokers and vendors in my industry. The ultimate plan is for me to work side by side with my dad to take over the family business and for us to continue to grow.

Connections trying to make:

I am trying to plug into a network that is different than the ones that are already out there, where I feel like I have a gap in my network. I would love to be able to connect with fellow alumni of all ages and experience. Since I also live in Dallas, it's exciting to be able to attend these smaller well-curated events!